The secret to this juicy baked fish recipe is in the quick marinade with spices, garlic, fresh basil, a little citrus, and extra virgin olive oil. Works great with any white fish, like halibut, cod, halibut, snapper, and beyond.
We often forget that, just like chicken and meat, fish can benefit from a little time in a tasty marinade. As long as you keep the acid low and the marinating time short, marinating a firm fish or a fish fillet like halibut or cod for just 30 minutes can do some good.
The marinade infuses the fish with all sorts of mouthwatering flavors. And, just like cooking fish in foil, it prevents the fish from drying out. Today’s tender baked fish recipe could not be any easier to make. I used halibut fillet, but any other white fish will work.
I add the fish and the marinade over a bed of colorful bell peppers and shallots, and bake for about 15 minutes. Easy! My family loved this baked fish with lemon rice and a big bowl of Greek salad.
Table of Contents
What’s in the Fish Marinade?
You’ll notice that I kept the citrus portion low, using the juice of 1 lemon (2 tablespoons of citrus) to 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
- Garlic: 10 fresh garlic cloves. I like to mince the garlic as finely as I can for maximum flavor.
- Fresh basil: 15 fresh basil leaves, sliced into ribbons. The combination of fragrant fresh basil with the warm spices packs this baked fish recipe with great flavor. If you don’t have basil, you can use parsley, cilantro, dill, or thyme to your liking.
- Spices: A trio of dried oregano, coriander, and paprika.
- Citrus: Juice of 1 lemon, which is about 2 tablespoons of citrus. If you like, you can switch it out for lime, white wine, or a mild-tasting vinegar.
- Extra virgin olive oil: I used 6 tablespoons of Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil. Because the fish bakes with the marinade, it’s important to use a tasty oil that enhances the flavor of the fish.
How Long to Marinate Fish?
In general, it’s safe to marinate a fish fillet like halibut or even a flaky fish like cod for 30 minutes or so refrigerated. If you’re marinating a fairly thick fish steak like a tuna fish steak or a swordfish steak, you may go for 1 to 2 hours of marinating. Always keep your marinated fish in the fridge.
How to Make this Baked Fish Recipe
There really are two steps to this fish fillet recipe: Marinate and bake. Here’s how it’s done:
- Marinate the fish. Pat a 2 pound fish fillet dry and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Place in a large zip-top bag. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon paprika, 10 minced garlic cloves, 15 sliced basil leaves, 6 tablespoons olive oil, and the juice of 1 lemon. Zip the bag shut and massage to be sure the fish is evenly coated in the marinade. Marinated for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour in the fridge.
- Meanwhile, get ready to bake. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Arrange 2 sliced bell peppers and 2 sliced shallots in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Bake the fish: Place the fish on top and pour the marinade over it. Bake in heated oven for 15 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
What to Serve with Baked Fish
Serve baked fish immediately with your favorite grain or lemon rice and a side of Greek salad, white bean salad, or herbed zucchini.
More Baked Fish Recipes
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds fish fillet (like halibut or cod)
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 10 garlic cloves, minced
- 15 basil leaves, thinly sliced
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 bell peppers, any color, sliced
- 2 shallots, peeled and sliced
Instructions
- Season the fish. Pat the fish dry and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Place in a large zip-top bag. Add the oregano, coriander, paprika, minced garlic, basil, olive oil, and lemon juice. Zip the bag shut and massage to be sure the fish is evenly coated in the marinade. Marinated for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour in the fridge (see notes).
- Meanwhile, get ready to bake. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Arrange the bell peppers and shallots in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Bake the fish: Place the fish on top and pour the marinade over it. Bake in heated oven for 15 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and spices used in this recipe.
- How long to marinate fish: I used halibut fillet in this recipe and I typically marinate it about 30 minutes. Thicker fish steaks, like tuna or swordfish, can marinate for 1 to 2 hours, but that is not the kind of fish I would recommend for this recipe.
- How to know if your fish is cooked? Your fish should be opaque and should flake easily with a fork at the thickest part. You can also use an instant read thermometer, which should register 145°F.
Nutrition
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Can you use your technique for baking the fish in foil for this recipe?
Hi, Kathy! I have not tried it myself, but I don’t see why not! Of course, you may need to adjust the cooking time a bit. Just keep an eye on the fish so it doesn’t get overcooked.
I made this recipe last night with some beautiful fresh, ling cod. I used 3 really large garlic cloves (instead of the 10 called for) and I didn’t have shallots so I used leeks (which I roasted for 15 minutes minutes before adding the other ingredients to the baking dish) with the red peppers under the fish. Everything else I followed the recipe. We all agreed that it was absolutely delicious!!
Thanks you so much for sharing, Julie!
Just finished making this recipe. Flavors are delicious, so will be making this again. I found the cod I used to be a bit tough and the flesh tight. Thinking maybe the lemon in the marinade. I’m going to try to leave out the lemon and marinate as directed, and squeeze it on at the end for a bright contrast to the finished product. What do you think? The peppers make a great accompaniment to the fish!! Thanks
Sure, that could very well work. Enjoy
Fantastic recipe, and truly so easy to make on a busy/lazy weeknight. I used cod and subbed peppers (can’t eat those) with zucchini slices which worked beautifully in the same amount of bake time. Thank you for this recipe. It’s going into my dinner rotation!
Thanks so much for sharing, Victoria! So glad you enjoyed it
Can cod be used instead of halibut?
Thanks for sharing. It looks wonderful and I’m looking forward to making it.
Sure!
Can fresh spinach be used instead of peppers?
Hi Amanda, did you mean spinach in place of basil? The basil here also adds flavor which spinach will not provide
I’m only using 1 lb of fish and did the regular amount of marinade. That’s a lot of garlic. It doesn’t overwhelm?
Hi, Paige! It shouldn’t, but feel free to reduce the amount if you prefer.
Which thickness are your halibut filets typically? Thank you.
About 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch or so, Lisa
Looks delicious! Can this recipe be made with haddock?
Sure! Hope you enjoy it!
Not enough marinade and therefore the veggies did not have enough liquid to cook in. I recommend doubling the marinade amount if you are making this. Also perhaps cover it for 10 minutes of the baking time so the peppers and shallots can steam and soften. Otherwise with no marinade and only 15 minutes baking they are still hard/crunchy.
Alternatively stir fry them first in olive oil before placing the fish on top.
We have not had this issue, but sure appreciate you sharing.
I am from the south where we fry fish. I am trying to make a change health-wise and I love FISH! I made this today using whole butterflied whiting. It was sooooooooo good. I was even sucking the bones ?. Thank you so much. I can’t wait to eat the leftovers.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Cheryl!!
Wow! I wasn’t expecting it to be as good as it was! I followed the recipe and was surprised how much flavor it had from a quick 30 minute marinade. The basil and oregano gave it great depth and it came out perfectly moist. I used Monchong which is a white flaky fish like mahi mahi. It was about an inch and a half thick and didn’t think it would cook in 15 mins but it really did. I rarely leave reviews and this recipe I will keep as a frequent go to.
Yay! So glad you loved it!!
What sauce is best paired with this fish??
Hi Hadley, you can try a dollop of Tzatziki sauce https://www.themediterraneandish.com/tzatziki-sauce-recipe/
I used thawed cod fillet and everything turned out wonderful. A very easy to prepare and tasty meal.
So glad, Brian! Thanks for sharing
Can you use Mahi Mahi instead of halibut?
That can work, Julie. I think Mahi Mahi does have a different texture though.
Hi! I made this with tuna slices and it was delicious! I’m from a part of the Philippines where using herbs is not widely practised and neither is baking the fish ( it’s mostly fried). But I’m going to share this with friends so they will also know that basil is not just for chicken in coconut milk?. Thank you for this, and all the other recipes that I’m going to try❤️
I’m so glad you enjoyed this one! Hope you find many more recipes you like here!